Vintage 12mRs to Embark Upon Epic Baltic Sea Voyage to Helsinki for 2021 12mR World Championship
In an historic first, a large fleet of Vintage 12mR yachts will sail upwards of 1000 nautical miles to compete at the 12mR World Championship in Helsinki, Finland from August 14- 22, 2021.
Hosted by Finland’s premiere yacht club Nyländska Jaktklubben, NJK, at least a dozen 12mRs are expected to arrive on their own keels from Germany, Denmark and Sweden to join Finland’s Blue Marlin (FIN-1) and challenge Italy’s reigning World Champion, Nyala (US-12).
Many of the yachts will depart in company from Flensburg, Germany in mid-July for the journey of more than 1300 nautical miles through the waters of Denmark and Sweden where elaborate pre-Worlds events are planned at Stockholm and Sandhamn. (Additional events will be held en route where pandemic restrictions permit.)
With fifteen yachts registered to date, the 2021 World Championship is slated to be the biggest 12mR event ever held in the Nordics. Finland’s first pre-war 12mR – Blue Marlin (FIN-1), owned by Henrik Andersin, was the inspiration for bringing the event to Helsinki, where NJK is concurrently celebrating the club’s 160th Anniversary. “Little did I know that when I relaunched Blue Marlin in 2014 that I would be racing 14 of her kind in my home waters just a few years later. This means a great deal to me personally,” said Andersin who has been instrumental in planning the Worlds as Event Chairman. “We now have the beginnings of a 3-boat strong local fleet as both Wings (K-15) and Vanity V (K-5) will also race under the Finnish flag.
The Championship in Finland will be preceded by regattas in Denmark, Germany and the Worlds Tune-Up at the Royal Swedish Yacht Club. While there are still uncertainties about pandemic restrictions, the core Helsinki Championship will consist only of sailing. Current registration fees reflect the absence of social activities. However, the Worlds Committee has an extensive program of social events planned which will be announced as circumstances allow.
2021 Sailing Schedule to 12mR Worlds Tune-Up (Sandhamn) & 12mR Worlds (Helsinki)
| Country | From | Dep | To | Arrival | Nm |
| Denmark | Skovshoved/Copenhagen | July 16 | Svaneke | July 17 | 108 |
| Denmark | Svaneke/Bornholm | July 20 | Karlskrona | July 20 | 65 |
| Sweden | Karlskrona | July 22 | Kalmar | July 22 | 66 |
| Sweden | Kalmar | July 24 | Visby | July 24 | 93 |
| Sweden | Visby | July 28 | Saltsjöbaden/Skärgård | July 28 | 110 |
| Sweden | Saltsjöbaden/Skärgård | Aug 1 | Stockholm | Aug 1 | 15 |
| Sweden | Stockholm | Aug 3 | Saltsjöbaden | Aug 3 | 15 |
| Sweden | Saltsjöbaden | Aug 4 | Sandhamn | Aug 4 | 25 |
| Sweden | Sandhamn | Aug 8 | Hanko | Aug 9 | 130 |
| Finland | Hanko | Aug 10 | Helsinki | Aug 10 | 70 |
| Finland | Helsinki | Aug 23 | Visby | Aug 24 | 165 |
| Sweden | Visby | Aug 26 | Simrishamn/Ystad | Aug 27 | 200 |
| Denmark | Simrishamn/Ystad | Aug 28 | Skovshoved (Falsterbro) | Aug 29 | 80 |
| 1142 |
Safe Accommodations Now Available
Pandemic precautions have also been taken in the accommodation arrangements for sailors and guests. Helsinki’s Scandic Hotels have partnered with the 12mR Worlds to provide crew-specific bubbles in their facilities, with rooms, breakfasts and transports based on distancing measures. For accommodation enquiries, please contact Niklas Saxén. (Pricing, booking details and Covid-19 policies will be published shortly.)
Experienced Sailors Volunteer for Transport
Sailing the yachts to and from Finland from their home ports in Sweden, Denmark and Germany will be demanding transfers of 9-13 full sailing day equivalents. Worlds Organizers and the Northern European 12mR fleet have compiled a list of volunteer transport crew comprised of 50+ experienced from Finland, Sweden, Germany and elsewhere who have expressed a strong interest in the 12mR Class. Committee member Torkel Tallqvist said “Save the strength of your crew for the Worlds and make use of our volunteers for the transfers– you may meet new crew members or even potential future 12mR owners.” For transport crew enquiries please contact Torkel Tallqvist or Christoffer Rothe.
Expected 2021 12mR World Championship Competitors
DENMARK:
Thea (D-1)
Vim (US-15) reigning European 12mR Champion
FINLAND:
Blue Marlin (FIN-1)
Vanity V (K-5), chartered by Finnish syndicate
Wings of Coves (K-15), with Finnish & Danish crew
GERMANY:
Anita (G-2)
Flica II (K-14)
Heti (E-3)*
Jenetta (K-1)
Nini Anker (N-15), former Siesta
Sphinx (G-4)
Trivia (K-10)
ITALY:
Nyala (US-12), reigning 12mR World Champion
NORWAY:
Vema III (N-11)
Official 2021 12mR World Championship Entry List
*All yachts will race in the 12mR Vintage Division except Heti (E-3) sailing in the 12mR Antique Division.